Nonprofit briefs of the week

The Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline and Support Program had $294,000 in state funding restored under the 2009/10 budget, which was approved in April. The state aid had been completely eliminated under the proposed executive budget that was introduced in December.

“Sen. [Craig] Johnson and Assemblyman [Marc] Alessi truly recognized the value and importance of support services and our breast cancer hotline and support program,” Hillary Rutter, director of the program, said in a statement. “Through their leadership and perseverance, they rescued the program by restoring our funding.”

The 29-year-old program, based at Adelphi University in Garden City, provides professional counseling and education and outreach services to breast cancer patients and their families.

The restorations were made with Federal Medical Assistance Percentage funding that was provided to New York through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Women’s health week

The North Shore-LIJ Health System’s Katz Women’s Hospital and Women’s Health Institute, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health, is launching New York Women’s Health Week, May 10-16, and Checkup Day on Monday.

North Shore-LIJ has established an online resource center (http://whi.northshorelij.com), which lists special events and health information and encourages women to make their health a top priority. As a first step, women are asked to pledge to get a checkup within 90 days.

“This type of awareness campaign reminds a woman that she needs to take care of herself so that she will be able to take care of her family,” Dr. Neeta Shah, who leads North Shore-LIJ’s Women’s Health Institute, said in a statement. “Our goal is to have thousands of women pledge.”

A vote for the great wide open spaces

Long Islanders want to protect open space, even if it costs them something, according to a poll released in late April by a coalition of environmental and conservation organizations.

The poll asked 800 Long Island voters how the current recession affected their willingness to protect Long Island from future overdevelopment. According to the survey results, the respondents overwhelmingly support public investments that protect open space and preserve farmland. Nearly two-thirds said there is too much development on Long Island, and four-fifths said local governments should maintain or increase spending levels for open-space preservation.

“Voters believe that Long Island can have both conservation and a strong economy at the same time, and that communities do not have to choose between the two,” John v.H. Halsey, president of the Peconic Land Trust, said in a statement. “In fact, voters believe that the protection of our natural lands and working farms will both protect Long Island’s quality of life and strengthen its economy.”

In addition to Peconic Land Trust, the coalition of organizations included The Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land, the North Shore Land Alliance, the Long Island Pine Barrens Society and the Group for the East End.

A new boutique in Bridgehampton

The Retreat, an East Hampton organization that provides services for victims of domestic violence, celebrated the grand opening of The Retreat Boutique in the Bridgehampton Commons in April. Proceeds from the shop – which sells new and gently used furniture, household goods, clothing and jewelry for up to 50 percent below retail prices – will support The Retreat’s services.

“We believe the shop is a great outlet for community outreach and raising awareness,” said Jeffrey Friedman, executive director of The Retreat. “And so far, the community’s response has been overwhelming.”

According to Friedman, Kimco Corp. – which owns the strip mall – provided space at a deeply discounted rate.

Suffolk student is tops in the state

Suffolk County Community College announced that one of its students, Tabata Borali, was named an Academic All-USA First Team member and New York State’s 2009 New Century Scholar.

The All-USA First Team, which is sponsored by Phi-Theta Kappa, USA Today, Coca-Cola and the American Association of Community Colleges, included 20 students picked from nearly 1,450 applications nationwide from 800 community colleges in 49 states. Borali, a second-year accounting student from Northport, and the other students were honored at the American Association of Community Colleges Convention in April in Phoenix. The New Century Scholar award is presented to the highest-scoring student in each state.

Borali, who will graduate in May, plans to transfer to a four-year university and study to become a certified public accountant.